Program Requirements

As of the 2015-2016 catalog, the minor in International and Global Studies (INGS) requires 18 hours of internationally-themed, interdisciplinary course work. To ensure that the minor is interdisciplinary, the 18 hours must include at least 3 designators. There may be no more than 6 hours of overlap between the INGS minor and the International Business option of the B.S. in Business Administration. At least 6 hours must be taken at Winthrop, and at least 6 hours must be above 299-level. Additional requirements include foreign language proficiency at the 102 level and the engagement with a foreign culture requirement. The engagement with a foreign culture requirement may be satisfied by study abroad, a travel course abroad, 6 hours foreign language study in the same language above 199-level, or a service learning course with service learning that is relevant to INGS. The list of courses counting towards this minor is too extensive to maintain in the catalog and is instead maintained on the International and Global Studies website. In addition, courses that can be shown to have significant international and/or global content but are not on this list may be approved for minor credit by the INGS Advisory Committee upon request through the Program Director.

Further Explanation of Requirements

Double counting

Whether courses may doublecount between a student’s major course of study and the minor, or between another minor and this minor, depends on the degree program. These programs do allow doublecounting between two minors or between a major and a minor: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Social Work. Other degree programs, such as Bachelor of Arts, do not allow doublecounting.

Language Proficiency Requirement and Language Course Credit

All students who minor in INGS must demonstrate language proficiency at the 102 level. This requirement is outside the minor (that is, credit hours from 101 and 102 in the first foreign language do not count towards the minor’s required 18 hours). However, language work above 102 may be credited towards the 18 hours. Also, language classes, including 101 and 102, in a second foreign language may count towards the 18 hours if petitioned.

Engaging a Foreign Culture Requirement

Students must choose one of three options: 1) study abroad or a travel course that involves a trip abroad, 2) domestic service learning relevant to International Studies (e.g., with immigrant populations), or 3) 6 credit hours of foreign language study beyond the 102 level. With option one (study abroad or travel course), internationally-themed coursework taken abroad may count towards the minor’s 18 hours if approved by the INTS advisory committee. The committee wants to encourage international experience, but because we recognize that not all Winthrop students are able to leave the country to study abroad or travel, there are two additional options: advanced language study or domestic service learning. Regarding the domestic service learning relevant to INTS, these are example possibilities:

•PLSC 260 The United Nations, which involves exposing high school students to world events, vigorous debates and discussions concerning international issues, and education about international relations•TFEL 350 and 450 Teaching Fellows Seminar, which involves experience teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)•SPAN 350 Service Learning, which involves ESL•PLSC 337/WMST 337 Women and Global Politics, which involves women’s issues work but with a strong global orientation